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Kattalin of Saint Beñat and Argiñe
Kattalin (full name ''Kattalin Ibarra) ''was born on Nivus 3, 1903, in San Beñaten Hiria, Saint Beñat and Argiñe. She served as Co-Princess of Saint Beñat and Argiñe and a Supreme Bishop of the Holy Catholic Order of Saint Beñat and Argiñe from 1971 until her abdication 1984. Kattalin ascended to the throne on Germinus 9, 1971, following the death Co-Princess Elixabete. Although her predecessor left no preferences as to who should be her heir, she did state that she wanted a conclave of eleven members from specific lines of the royal family to choose her successor. On the first round of voting, Kattalin was chosen to become the next Co-Princess. Kattalin’s reign was marred with criticism that she was too liberal to co-lead the theocracy and because of her prolonged use of a marquess to rule in her place while she went on luxurious vacations overseas. Early life and education The Co-Princess was born in Holy Sprit Hospital in San Beñaten Hiria on Saint Beñat Island to Co-Prince Luken II and Duchess Usoa, a distant relative from the same royal house. Kattalin attended a private school in San Benaten Hiria named “School of the Saints of Grace and Glory” that was popular with the aristocracy of the time. Seeking to give their daughter an immersive cultural experience, Kattalin was enrolled by her parents into Dhondirse University immediately after graduating. The future Co-Princess enjoyed the university’s proximity to Arveyres and often went to events in Calabasas with her friends, much to her parents’ disdain. She graduated in 1924 with a four-year degree in accounting, specializing in government tax auditing. Kattalin returned to the principality to work as an accountant at the Apostolic Bank of Saint Beñat and Argiñe, the private bank owned by the House of Ibarra. Soon after, she was introduced to Alesander Ureta, the son of a prominent member of the House of Representatives. The two were wed after courting for two years and had two children, both later becoming Co-Prince and Co-Princess. Career The archbishop presiding over San Beñaten Hiria ordained the future Co-Princess as a priestess in a lavish ceremony in 1937. Kattalin moved quickly up the ranks of the family bank and was appointed to the board of directors in 1961, a position she would hold until her ascension in 1971. Seeking to give her government experience and publicity before she was presumed to succeed Co-Princess Elixabete, the royal family embarked on an ambitious campaign to get the future Co-Princess elected as mayor of San Beñaten Hiria. While the campaign became embroiled in a number of controversies, Kattalin was elected in a landslide victory in 1965. Her tenure as mayor proceeded smoothly and is seen as a time of great commercial growth in the city. She was chosen via conclave to succeed Elixabete only one year after her term as mayor ended. As Co-Princess, Kattalin attempted to liberalize the principality and regain close relations with the Arveyran government. Her eventual appointments to the House of Counts with relatively leftist individuals strained her relationship with the other houses of the legislature and many conservatives questioned her intentions. Then Co-Prince and brother Iñaki did not get along on a personal level with the Co-Princess and Kattalin disliked his attempts to sidestep her on important matters. Despite her troubles within Saint Beñat and Argiñe, the Co-Princess proved to be a highly effective diplomat. Kattalin successfully resolved a number of disputes with Arveyres that had accumulated over the years, including apologizing for a 17th century denouncement that the nation was a "den of sodomy and ungodliness." While the benefits of normalizing relations with Arveyres would not be realized until years later, Kattalin's long state visits that, by law, required a marquess were seen as highly troubling. The temporary appointments of royal proxies was not unheard of, but the Co-Princess's extended use of them was not received well. These appointments came mostly in the latter half of her reign, at one point lasting more than a year at a time when she and her husband were rumored to have added another man to their relationship in Arveyres. Many saw this has her abandoning her responsibilities and disloyalty to the nation; some even speculate that the royal family was considering dethroning Kattalin, an act that had not been carried out since the 1700s. Kattalin eventually returned to the principality and spent the rest of her reign away from the public eye. She is said to have fallen into a depression and only carried out her royal duties when absolutely necessary. Feeling that her image had damaged the people's loyalty to the monarchy, Kattalin chose her popular, conservative daughter to succeed her. Later life and death Almost immediately after Kattalin abdicated the throne, she and her husband (along with an unnamed man many speculate to be her other male lover) left the country for Arveyres. There, she lived in Acrival Castle for approximately a decade under a leasing agreement until her death. Kattalin also acquired Arveyran citizenship in 1990. During her stay at the castle, the former Co-Princess expanded upon the structure to add an opera house and chapel. She also took up painting and gardening during her stay. Suddenly, Kattalin's health took a turn for worse and was diagnosed with having late stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She denied treatment and died in her sleep seven months later. Her husband insisted that the funeral take place at the castle in Arveyres and that Kattalin's ashes were to be transformed into a statue, much to the displeasure of the rest of the Ibarra family. The cremation of royalty was, in itself, taboo in the principality and the fact that her remains would reside in a foreign land was unheard of. Begrudgingly, Kattalin's closest relatives and the Co-Prince came to Arveyres to attend the funeral and meet with Arveyran dignitaries. The statue was unveiled following a eulogy delivered by the late Co-Princess's husband and the funeral was closed with a prayer. Category:Saint Beñat and Argiñe